Fix You
by futureMrsCriss
Summary: rachel wants to help quinn get beth back but more importantly, rachel wants her friend back, not some skank.


Faberry - Fix You

Rating: T

senior year. Rachel knew what she was going to do with herself and quinn? She had 'finally found herself'. Cutting and dying her hair, dating a 40 year old skateboarder and her new group - the skanks. Yep, she finally found herself. She finally found the worst part of herself. She was messed up and, frankly, who could blame her? She was on top of the world, dating the then-captain-of-the-football-team and being head cheerio, she was the most envied girl in the entire school. Then she got knocked up and lost it all. She even lost baby beth, whom she gave to shelby corcoran, rachel's birth mother. And losing both prom queen and nationals just worsened matters. It wrecked quinn, she felt she wasn't good enough. Not for her father, not for prom queen and not even in a group. So she finally cracked. And rachel berry promised herself that she would try all she could to fix her friend.

''...i feel really bad for her...she had it all...and then she lost it all...i hope she's alright...maybe i should go look for her...she hasn't been seen this entire term...''

''rach, you're being ridiculous,'' finn tried to calm his girlfriend who was pacing back and forth in the choir room. ''q's never been one to be worried about, she's probably just still on holiday or something...''

''finn you would have to notify the school if you were still on holiday! The school doesn't know where she is so obviously she's not on holidays! She's m.i.a.!''

finn stared at rachel blankly. ''i have...no idea what that stands for but...'' he murmured. ''rachel don't worry, she's probably just arriving late or something. And it's only first break, not even halfway through the first day. She'll show up eventually.''

rachel nodded silently, hoping her dope of a boyfriend was right. For once. ''alright, i'll see you later, kurt and i have an appointment with miss pillsbury.''

''why what's wrong?''

''oh nothing, we were just going to tell her our plans about moving to new york and Julliard next year!'' she squealed, insanely excited. ''i'll see you later, finn,''

rachel had finally found quinn with the skanks. They were hanging out under the bleachers, smoking.

''quinn, can i talk to you alone for a minute?'' rachel asked her.

''whatever you have to say, you can say it in front of them.'' quinn replied with no emotion in her tone. She took a breath of her cigarette. ''i'm never going back, rachel. Ever.''

the shorter girl shrugged. ''i don't expect you to. In all honesty, quinn,'' rachel said quietly. ''...after i saw on facebook that you had dyed your hair and started smoking with that 40 year old guy, i swore to myself that i would at least try to help you.''

''i don't need help.'' the pink haired girl snapped back. ''this is the real me. People change. Get used to it rachel, because i'm not the girl everyone thought me to be last year.''

rachel bit her bottom lip and sighed. ''just know, i'm always here if you need me.''

quinn stared at her, long and hard. ''leave.''

''quinn -''

''mack, you can take her if you want,''

a girl who was the same height as quinn and was wearing a black waistcoat on a singlet and tight jeans stepped forrward.

''with pleasure.'' the girl said.

''you have 3 seconds to leave here, rachel, and never come back.'' quinn turned her back and counted. ''...1...2...''

rachel held her lips in a tight line and walked away sadly.

after blaine's audition for the new directions, finn had it out for him.

''i'm sorry, did i do something wrong...?'' blaine asked as he sat down next to kurt.

''well, yeah you kind of set a bonfire in the middle of our courtyard -''

''actually, doorknob, that was an act of political protest,'' santana chimed in. ''and also, i didn't know that fabray was on our side...you know, since she was the one who actually lit the piano.''

rachel scowled beside finn. After finding out that Julliard had no musical theatre program and encountering harmony and her friends at the NYADA mixer, she was already having a horrible week. Let alone having to deal with quinn's messed up situation, rachel already had a huge load on her hands - and it was only the first week back.

''i can't believe what's happened to her...'' tina said quietly to the group.

''yeah, i mean, i know i kind of messed her up...'' puck added. ''...but this is a new low for her.''

''oh this is coming from the guy who dated that white rhino?'' santana smirked at him. ''i can't believe you couldn't get her to stay...''

''santana.'' mr schuester started sharply. ''you need to leave.''

the latina stared at him. ''you and the cheerios help light the purple piano on fire.''

''mr schue, sue made me and i didn't go anywhere near the gas!'' she defended.

''well brittany didn't do it.''

''i'm the head cheerio! I had to!''

''you are banned from glee club.'' mr schue said with finality as santana stared at him, awestruck. ''you can't come back until you know where your true loyalties lie.''

santana scowled. ''i can't believe i'm taking this for a skank...''

''oh please santana!'' rachel shouted at her. Finn jumped in his seat while everyone else remained calm. They were already expecting it, even blaine. ''if anything, you made her life all that much worse!''

''shut up, berry! I'm leaving, are you happy?''

''no, because i don't have my friend back!'' santana only rolled her eyes walked out. ''whatever,''

rachel was fighting back tears as she stood, stiff as a pole.

''rachel -''

''i need a minute.'' was all she said to finn before she stormed out as well.

She ran into the girls lavatory and cried for a good 5 minutes, like she always did until she got sick of it and decided to clean up. Then none other than quinn fabray walked in on her. At first, the pink haired girl felt distraught that her friend was upset.

no, she's not your friend anymore, quinn thought, you aren't that girl quinn.

Rachel saw quinn in the reflection of the mirror.

''what?'' she asked quinn, flatly. ''i'm crying, you should be used to it by now.''

quinn didn't answer, she only stared and walked over to a sink beside rachel.

''look, rachel,'' she said, opening her bag, searching for a box of cigarettes. ''you can cry all you want but it's never gonna make me change. This is the real me, if you don't like then that's you're problem.''

''don't you get it quinn?'' rachel turned to her, dropping a tissue into the sink. ''this isn't the real you! This is the aftermath of the real you! You weren't meant to be like this! You were meant to be like...like a successful person not a skank. You're better than that quinn! And yes, maybe after losing beth-''

''don't you dare bring my baby into this.'' quinn snapped in a tone that was extremely deadly. ''you can't tell me what i was meant to be, rachel because you have no idea of what kind of pressure i was put under. You saw what lucy was and if you were my friend then you would probably tell me that that was who i was mean to be. But i changed. People change, rachel and you need to accept that and move on. I've told you before and i'll tell you again, you cannot keep living in some fairytale because if you keep trying to look for that happy ending you will never get it right.''

rachel stared at quinn with puffy, red eyes that were starting to become wet with tears again. ''i know you quinn and -''

''you don't know anything about me, rachel! Stop trying to fix me because you can't! I'm not going to peroxide my hair and use soap just because that's who people want me to be.'' quinn shouted. She couldn't find the cigarettes she had that morning. ''tsk dammit!'' and with that she walked out, back to the bleachers with the rest of the skanks, and left rachel to cry.

after shelby returned to ohio to coach sugar motta's show choir, she had decided to make peace with quinn and puck. And while puck was accepting, she had a harder time with quinn.

''hello, quinn.''

quinn turned around from her group under the bleacher's and smirked.

''what are you doing here?'' she asked flatly.

shelby examined the damage i.e. Quinn's new look with surprise. ''oh, quinn, what did you do to yourself?''

''i found myself.''

''clearly the worser part because you smell like you haven't had a bath in weeks.'' shelby remarked. ''look, i'm a teacher here now and i figured that i should let you know.''

''if you've come here to torture me with my past then congratulations...'' quinn muttered, angrily.

''i want you to be apart of beth's life.'' the teacher said with finality. ''i want her to know her mother. But not like this.''

''so what, you think you can just get a job here and tell me what you expect of me? You think that just because you've signed a few pieces of paper, you can tell me what i have to be if i want to see my baby? She's MY baby! And no matter what you do, you will never be so much as a guardian for her -''

''i know what you're going through, quinn.'' she ignored the girl's rudeness. ''when i gave up rachel, i was crushed. I rebelled so hard but that was what i didn't understand. I was in pain after giving up my only daughter.'' she paused and looked at quinn who's eyes were starting to fill with tears. ''but then i realized that i gave her the best life i could. I couldn't provide for her what another family could. So i gave her up. That's the true price of motherhood.'' she paused again. ''and i don't want you to go through what i did. You can be in beth's life. But you better clean up your act first.''

quinn cried quietly, not letting the skanks see her silent tears. ''wait.'' she said suddenly. Shelby turned around with an eyebrow raised. ''yes?''

''...if i can't meet her, can i at least see a photo?'' the teacher waited. ''please?'' quinn added.

Shelby sighed and took out her phone and scrolled to a picture of the toddler. When quinn saw the image, she cried even harder. Puck was holding his - no, their - baby and they were both smiling.

''you're better than this quinn.'' shelby whispered to her, grabbed the phone and walked off. Quinn cried harder than ever.

''hey, did you hear? Quinn's back with us!'' finn exclaimed when he finally found his girlfriend.

''if you're just saying that to make me less depressed, it isn't working -'' rachel grumbled in response as she shut her locker with a slam.

''what - no! She really is! Come to booty camp this afternoon if you don't believe me!''

so she did and much to her amusement, quinn really was back in glee. But what rachel saw in the once-again-blonde girl's eyes was much different to her mask. She could hide all she wanted but rachel could see righ through that disguise of happiness.

''mr schue, do you mind if i step in on this session? Just for practice?'' rachel asked hesitantly.

''sure, the more the merrier, right?'' the spanish teacher smiled at her.''now, from the top...5, 6, 7, 8!''

rachel stood next to quinn and danced along with the group.

''so much for never going back.'' she said to the blonde girl, who was following along with a smirk.

''look, just because i'm back doesn't mean we're friends again.'' quinn replied in the same monotonous voice she had when she was with the skanks.

At this, rachel understood. ''i know, but that doesn't mean that we can't try to be again.''

''i'm not doing this because i want to, okay?'' she snapped back violently, but kept her facade. ''you probably already know this, rachel, but your mother is back and teaching here. We had a little 'conversation' about...my kid...and i agreed to straighten myself out. And if it means that i have to peroxide my hair back to blonde and be the girl everyone wants me to be in order to see my baby, then so be it.'' she paused and looked at rachel. ''i'm doing this for her and only her. Is that clear?''

''...ba-ba-bum and turn-a-round...'' mr schue was saying to a beat. They followed his instructions, turned around and rachel nodded at her friend, biting her lip.

''as crystal.''

the days passed and quinn had not changed her tune. She was still using the one, depressing tone and although she was all smiles on the outside, she was mentally strangling anyone who spoke - anyone who even batted an eye - at her. The only person she actually sofetened up to was rachel. Of all people, it was rachel. Was it because she was always there, or because she wouldn't leave quinn alone until it reached the point that she would let out all her emotions because rachel infuriated her so much? Maybe. It was most likely the latter. Rachel had a sort of talent for that. She would either bug you until you burst or she would give you amazing advice. She mainly did the former but with quinn, she did either, whenever she felt the need to. And nowadays, it was almost every second they were together. And rachel was the only one quinn didn't have to put on a smile for.

''hi!'' rachel skipped up merrily to quinn who only rolled her eyes.

''what do you want?''

''can't i say hi to a friend?''

she slammed her locker and turned away to calm herself for a minute. ''once again, i am not your friend. I never have and never will.''

''sure...'' rachel said unconvinced.''have you met -''

''NO i haven't.'' quinn snapped as he walked away. ''puck has but i still haven't and shelby has seen how much i have changed but it's still a stupid NO!'' she was shaking with rage again but it was for the best. She didn't want to let it all out when she finally got to meet beth.

rachel nodded. ''have you tried reasoning with her? Instead of just standing by and waiting?''

''what do you think? She's my DAUGHTER! I've tried telling shelby that i'm the actual mother or her so i should be able to meet her but it never works! And all puckerman had to do was do some homework and draw a stupid crayon picture of a clownpig whatever the hell that is!''

''look, if it's any consolation, i'll talk to her for you.'' rachel suggested.

''thanks but no thanks rachel, i need to handle this on my own.'' she brushed away the hand that rachel had placed on her shoulder as a sign of comfort and walked away.

rachel ignored her denial and went to find her biological mother.

''ms corcoran?''

the teacher looked up and smiled. ''rachel, you are my daughter, you can call me mom.''

''i'd rather not,'' she stammered. ''after the first few times of calling you that and then having you leave my life almost sent me to therapy.'' shelby laughed.

''i apologize for that, rachel.'' she sighed and paused. ''i missed too much of your life and i wanted my baby girl back but i couldn't...so i left and started fresh with beth.''

rachel nodded insecurely. ''i know. That's actually what i wanted to talk to you about.''

''rachel, if this is about quinn -''

''do you know how distraught i was, when i was a little girl?'' rachel closed her eyes and cut her off. ''okay, i knew - i knew that my family was different, okay? B-but i had to go my entire life without even a hint on who my mother was, not even a picture of you. I felt so incomplete and when jesse encouraged me to find my mother, i honestly assumed you were patti lupone...'' at this shelby laughed. ''...but then i realized my dad's wouldn't have impregnated a broadway legend like her. And when i finally met you i was absolutely overcome with all these emotions and i felt like i was about to explode. But then, i got to know you and then you decided that we shouldn't see each other anymore and that broke my heart.'' at that time, rachel was close to tears about the memory and shelby was frowning at her decisions. ''and then with that whole speech about being my mother but not my mom only got me even more depressed.''

''what is your point here, rachel?'' shelby chimed in, too depressed by even a re-telling of their story.

''my point is that...although i'm not at liberty to tell you what to do with your adoptive child, i think it's best that you let quinn meet beth. Soon.'' she stated, eyes closed. Shelby was about to interject but rachel cut her off. ''because, you aren't doing either of them any good by keeping them apart. Beth needs her biological mother, ms corcoran. I guess i just don't want beth to live the life i did.''

shelby felt terrible. ''rachel, i'm really sorry for not being in your life but i knew it was for the best! And i feel terrible that i made you feel like that but it was what i felt was right! I mean, you turned out just fine!''

''yes but i have horrible night terrors about you coming back then leaving again. And also, i'm incredibly emotionally damaged.''

''yes but you're fine in every other aspect, right?''

rachel thought about it and nodded.

''exactly. And what i'm doing for beth is for the best, i mean, i told quinn that if she cleaned up her act -''

''but she has! She may still have some anger issues and all but you don't know how much she wants this mom!''

silence. Rachel immediately clapped a hand over her mouth, realizing her mistake. Shelby looked down in the quietness, pretending to go over some papers. ''i-i...she just really wants to meet her daughter.'' after rachel said that, she quickly ran off, trying to seem calm but failing as the tears streamed down her cheeks.

''rachel...'' her mother called after her but it was no use, she was already gone.

a week after rachel's talk with her mother, quinn was not as snappy as she usually was.

''hey,'' rachel smiled up at her.

''hi,'' surprisingly, quinn gave her an actuall greeting for the first time since the previous year.

''how are you feeling?'' she asked happily.

Quinn smiled, another first for the year. ''fine, actually.'' she replied, and happiness was actually in her eyes.

''yeah? What's been going on lately?'' rachel continued asking questions and the taller girl didn't get annoyed...well, maybe a bit. But she did answer all questions with ease.

''oh nothing much, i just...i got to meet her.'' quinn couldn't help the wide grin that crossed her face at the thought.

Rachel looked up with surprise. ''really? You met beth?''

quinn nodded vigorously, still grinning. ''she's beautiful. She has puck's dopey smile and my eyes. She's absolutely...perfect.'' she was resisting the urge to squeal in the middle of the hallway.

Rachel smiled to herself. She had done it.

''and rachel...'' quinn added quietly. ''i wanna thank you.''

''for what?'' she asked innocently.

''i know you went to talk to shelby.'' quinn stopped them in their tracks and stared gently at rachel. ''she told me. And she said that, you were...distressed during part of your childhood, not knowing your mother and all. And she didn't want that for beth. So she let me meet her and now...you've done it rachel.''

''done what?''

''you kept your promise.'' quinn stifled a laugh. ''you promised you would fix me. And you did. Ignore all the stuff about me telling you that i was never going to be able to be fixed, i was totally wrong. Thank you, rachel, so, so much.''

rachel smiled and nodded. ''what are friends for?''

they laughed and walked together to lunch, friends once more.

''when you try your best but you don't suceed, when you get what you want but not what you need...lights will guide you home, and ignite your bones, and i will try to fix you.''

THE END


End file.
